In Sickness and In Health
by classyblue
Summary: Hephaestion didn't think he could feel and worse than he felt already, and more 'help' arrived.


There wasn't one place on Hephaestions' body that didn't hurt. Every inch was aching, churning or throbbing. The sickness had spread through the army not caring about rank or station.

As he lie on his bed in his room at the Palace, Hephaestion willed the room to stop spinning and his stomach to quit aching. His numerous trips to the chamber pot were taking their toll. On each trip, he had to decide which end needed to be taken care of first. Finally he put a bowl next to the pot, eliminating the need for his mind to have to think about it.

If he could only fall asleep, maybe when he woke up this agony would subside and he could start healing.

Hearing footsteps through his doorway, he peeked an eye open and saw Alexander coming towards the bed. He groaned as loudly as his head would allow.

"Are you feeling any better?" Alexander said, his voice full of concern.

Hephaestion could only mumble a weak _no_.

'Where does it hurt?" Alexander continued.

Hephaestion brought his index finger up to the end of his nose, touching it softly.

"It hurts on the end of your nose?" a confused Alexander asked.

"No, that is the only place I doesn't hurt." Hephaestion squeaked out.

Alexander chuckled, in spite of himself. Hephaestion looked miserable.

His hair lay plastered to his head and was a tangled mess, his skin was clammy, eyes bloodshot and his lips were dry. He had long ago discarded his sleeping clothes, soaking all of them through in his bouts with his fevers.

Alexander had the doctor check on Hephaestion and made sure he was taking the herb drink that he thought would help lessen the pain somewhat, but he told Alexander and Hephaestion that it would just take time and the sickness would have to run its' course.

Hephaestion again pleaded with Alexander to leave him alone and stay away or he would get this curse himself, but Alexander, as usual, completely ignored his advice.

Hephaestion opened his mouth one more time to try and convince him to go, but his stomach begged to be noticed again instead, as if it wasn't getting enough attention.

Alexander dutifully held his head and hair while he retched again. At least it seemed to be coming from just one end now, that was a start. Alexander helped him back to the bed and began wiping his face with a cool cloth.

Just when he thought he might survive this nightmare, the doors to his room swung open and Alexander's' mother came floating into the room and straight to his bedside.

Hephaestion saw all this play out in front of him through the crack he had allowed his eye to open, hoping against hope, that he was only having a bad fever dream. But alas, there she was, followed by a couple of her handmaidens.

Hephaestion tried to burrow himself into the bed and disappear. Alexander started talking to his mother and Hephaestion willed, with what little strength he had left, any help of getting her to leave. Neither Alexander nor Hephaestions' will had any effect on making her depart.

The Queen came to Hephaestions' bedside and felt his forehead, peeked into his eyes, told him to stick out his tongue and felt his throat.

"Where does it hurt?" she asked Hephaestion.

Alexander touched the end of Hephaestions' nose and said, "He says that it doesn't hurt here but everything else does."

His mother frowned at Alexander and looked back at Hephaestion. Before his hazy mind could comprehend what was happening, she yanked the covers off his body and started feeling around his stomach.

Hephaestion was never to sure who was more surprised, himself or Alexander, when the covers were slipped to the bottom of the bed. Later the subject was hardly ever brought up, but if it was, it was pushed back quickly to that awkward little place it resided.

As if this wasn't enough, she began examining _**all**_ of him with one hand and still pressing down on his tummy with the other.

Alexander had finally found his voice again and quickly grabbed the wayward sheet.

He, not to gently, pulled his mother hand from between Hephaestions' legs, giving her a look that sent daggers in her direction.

Giggles and sighs of admiration came from the handmaidens enjoying the view they had been privileged to see.

Alexander and his mother then started a conversation, consisting of what the doctor had said and done, and what hadn't been tried yet that might help him get better. Peppered in this conversation, Alexander let his mother know that no more examinations on her part were needed.

All the while the talk between mother and son was going on, the poking around on Hephaestion stomach was having an affect, and not in a good way. Hephaestion looked around frantically for the bowl and saw it still over by the chamber pot. Trying in vain to get someone attention, he knew he had a decision to make and to make it quickly.

He could embarrass himself and just let it rip here or he could clamber out of bed and make a beeline naked to the bowl, hoping he could make it there in time. Neither solution was to his liking, but a decision had to be made and made very quickly.

Taking the bull by the horns, he decided to risk the trip, forsake the embarrassment and try for the bowl.

The covers went flying, feet scurrying as fast as they could and Hephaestion squatted down in front of the bowl with his beautiful back and behind in full view of the audience he had acquired. Not that he noticed the looks of admiration from the three females and one male, his attention was on the task at hand and his mind occupied at the moment.

Alexander arrived quickly to his aid and helped him through the worst of the upchucking.

By this time, all semblance of modesty had taken a flying leap out the window and Hephaestion sank slowly to the floor, resting his head on Alexander's' lap. His mother brought over the sheet from the bed and patted Hephaestion on the shoulder, cooing comforting words as only a mother can do. She then said she would be back later to check on him again.

Alexander was never sure the moan that escaped from Hephaestion was from his poor upset stomach or the prospect of another visit from the Queen.

The doctor was right in his diagnoses and Hephaestion did recover completely, though he had nightmares about the whole episode for several years. The first chance meeting with the Queen was especially painful, but she was very nice about the whole thing.

The one thing Hephaestion never told Alexander, and never would, was the parting pinch his bottom received from the Queen.


End file.
